Re: a "group question"



"Arne H. Wilstrup" <detfaarduejatvide@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:436e3e51$0$84014$edfadb0f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> "TakenEvent" <lightbulbsnickety@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> skrev i en
> meddelelse news:qGqbf.9860$7s1.8066@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >>
> >> That's a regional thing. What you say holds true in
> >> NAmerEng but
> >> not in BrEng, where collective nouns regularly attract a
> >> plural
> >> verb.
> >>
> >> "The cabinet have discussed this point", "Chelsea are
> >> unbeatable",
> >> and "the family are" are perfectly normal and standard
> >> constructions in both formal and informal BrEng.
> >
> >
> > It certainly depends on the sentence. I wouldn't say "My
> > family are going
> > to be there."
>
> but would you say: My family are early risers? This is
> correctly according to my English grammar book.

I wouldn't, but Harvey might. Also, "This is [correct] according to..."

>
> And according to this, you can also say: Her family has been
> traced back to 1300 -

Yes, yes you can.


>
> As the book says: "When collective nouns in the singular
> function as a subject, they can be accompanied either by a
> singular verb, a personal pronoun or determinder like it,
> its and the relative pronoun, which all emphasize the
> impersonal unit referred to by the noun and by plural verb,
> personal pronouns and determinders like they, them, their(s)
> and relatives like who, whom, which all emphasize the
> individuals referred to by the noun"
>
> >
> > I think it makes a difference if it is understood that
> > many individual
> > people are being referenced, as in "The cabinet [members]
> > have discussed..."
> > I wouldn't expect to hear "The cabinet are made up of 8-12
> > members."
>
> But still, you can hear: The Government are planning new tax
> increases.

Harvey says that's normal. I think it sounds, as Harvey put it, what was
it..."deeply illiterate." Is it just laziness spawning such weirdness?
Nothing wrong with it, as long as people go with it, I guess.

>
> No, it is not that easy. :-(
> --
> Arne H.Wilstrup
>
>
>



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: a "group question"
    ... >> constructions in both formal and informal BrEng. ... sometimes a plural verb?", it has to do with with whether the ... more often than the singular. ... does NAmer restrict collective nouns to a singular verb, ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: How would you type this?
    ... The Gregg Manual states re collective nouns: If the group is acting as a unit, use the singular form of the verb. ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
  • Re: How would you type this?
    ... The Gregg Manual states re collective nouns: If the group is acting as a unit, use the singular form of the verb. ...
    (sci.med.transcription)
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